Recipe 47: Bacon and Eggs Mac and Cheese (Adapted)

Happy Thanksgiving!  I hope you all had a good Thursday, whether you were celebrating, working, or just hanging out.  This begins what a friend of mine calls “silly season,” AKA the crazy time up until Xmas or even New Years’ when there are social obligations galore.  It’s fun, but it can get overwhelming entertaining and going all over.

Today I was able to play hostess to my dear friend Kristin, who I last mentioned here, and her beau.  This is the first time I’ve seen her in a long time – has it been since that post? – and I wanted it to be different.  To me, brunch is the best way to do this: Breakfast or lunch foods are appropriate, making brunch the most delicious meal of all.  Ever notice we only save it for special occasions?

Full disclosure: I have been dying to try a breakfast mac and cheese since I began this endeavor.   I’ve found a few recipes, but many are just your usual roux and cheese, just with breakfast sausage or bacon added.  While that could still be good, it didn’t scream breakfast to me.  Then I found this recipe – for a breakfast lasagna.  Well, it only took a little adapting to make it a mac and cheese instead of a lasagna.

Note: You can prepare this ahead of time, then bake when you want it.  I made it last night, then baked it today.  Take it out of the fridge to sit at room temperature about half an hour before baking.

Bacon and Eggs Mac and Cheese (adapted from Food.com)

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb diced bacon
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons flour (I used Pamela’s)
• 1/2-1 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups milk
• 12 oz macaroni (I used corn elbows)
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, diced
• 1 cup (4 oz) shredded swiss cheese
•  1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top
• 1 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions

Prepare macaroni according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, in skillet, cook bacon until crisp.  Remove with slotted spoon to paper towels.  Drain, reserving 2 1/2 Tablespoons drippings (if you only do 2, or do up to 3, I wouldn’t worry about it; if for some reason you come up short, keep the drippings you have in the skillet and add a little oil).  In the drippings, saute onion until tender.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper until blended.  Gradually stir in milk.  Bring to boil and cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Mix with pasta, bacon, and hard boiled eggs.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly.   Sprinkle with parsley.  Let stand 15 minutes before cutting (LOL, does anyone really wait that long?).

 Verdict: 4/5

I was sweating this one.  I looked forward so much to making a breakfast mac, I really wanted it to work.  The ingredients all seemed to add up, but one never knows.  Not to mention that this mac heavily features Swiss cheese, which I actually don’t even really like.  All my worrying was over nothing: it turned out great!  The onion flavor did get lost a little, so you might want to consider using just a whole large onion.  The bacon flavor was most prominent, which is fine by me, and the eggs were more of a texture element than a flavor one – maybe if I had baked it right away they would be more of a flavor presence?  On the downside, that texture element does not reheat well: When microwaving some of this later on, the eggs did become a bit rubbery, so try to only make as much as you can serve all at once.  This fed four hungry adults, with I think one or two taking seconds, and there was plenty leftover.  I’d say the above recipe serves 6 -8.

Do you have a better idea for a breakfast mac?  I’d love to hear it!  Drop me a line!